


Under the stars' watchful gaze

by thisisamadhouse



Series: Nightmares verse [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Missing Year (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 02:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13514436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisisamadhouse/pseuds/thisisamadhouse
Summary: Originally posted for the oqpromptparty: #28 It’s cold and OQ share a blanket.





	Under the stars' watchful gaze

It was typical, just typical, that when Regina would let the Merry Men in charge of preparing their reconnaissance mission -after their leader had convinced her that they were perfectly capable of it thank you very much-, that they would forget not food or ale, because not so Little John wouldn’t let that happen, but blankets of all things. There barely was enough for half their group.

Of course, they would realise it at nightfall, once they were too far into Zelena’s territory that the merest sparkle of magic would immediately summon the green Witch to their location. So Regina couldn’t make more appear, and with winter all but upon them, they only had one option left: to share. Something that the others didn’t seem to mind, but which made Regina’s skin crawl.

As Robin explained the situation to her, her expression turned more and more thunderous, and his more apologetic with each word he pronounced.

“Everyone is paired up, Your Majesty,” he told her, using her title for once, feeling that the situation warranted to tread carefully in order not to set off her already volatile temper. “It just leaves us.” He wouldn’t tell her that it was no coincidence, that he had threatened his Men with bodily harm if any of them even thought about invading the Queen’s space. The two of them had shared things in the past few months that had made them grow closer, though in this moment she didn’t seem to recall much of it. He couldn’t say he blamed her. “You won’t be bothered much, I have the first watch…”

She rolled her eyes. “If you say so. Just wake me when it’s my turn.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Your Majesty, we managed to divide them between us so you can get some rest,” he replied, with a soft smile.

Any trace of emotion disappeared from her face until it became a blank mask. “I see,” she said, voice cold and low, and then she turned and grabbed the first blanket on the pile, heading towards the edge of the camp they had established for the night.

Robin called her back, but she threw a scathing “Don’t bother” over her shoulder, and then promptly lied down and curled up in the rough wool.

“You really put your foot in it this time,” Alan commented. “Guess there won’t be any sharing after all,” he added with a laugh.

“Not helping, Alan,” Robin glared at him, causing his friend to snort and walk away, muttering under his breath that their leader was a hopeless case.

Robin approached her cautiously after his watch had ended with John taking over. She was turned away from the rest of them, shivering with each gust of cold wind, teeth shattering, the blanket she had taken doing a poor job of keeping her warm, full of holes as it was, and her cape barely protecting her from the chilliness of the ground.

He settled beside her, spreading the heavier cover John had thrust into his hands,claiming he wouldn’t need it, over both of them. She inhaled sharply, and let out a slow sigh of relief that confirmed what Robin already knew: she hadn’t slept a wink.

“I didn’t mean to suggest that we don’t trust you to watch over us, Milady,” he started, pausing when Regina snorted, rolling on her back and twisting her head to throw him a disbelieving look. “I would think you knew better at this point,” he chided, but kept his tone gentle. “We are all very aware of everything you have done for us. I am very aware of everything you have done for people you didn’t particularly care about when this adventure started, and as I have said before I admire it,” he whispered as to not disturb the others, but with enough emphasis and fervor to ensure that she wouldn’t doubt a word he had just said. “You are also our most precious asset in this mission, we don’t stand a chance against the Witch and her beasts without you, and if we can make it easier for you to rest and keep up your strength, we will,” he continued, but she only shook her head and scoffed. “And of course, we can’t forget that my son would resent me deeply if I let anything happen to you.”

At the mention of the little boy she had grown so fond of, her gaze softened, and she seemed to slowly relax until a particularly icy blast of wind made her shiver violently. Robin noticed how her lips had taken a bluish hue due to the cold, and he winced.

“May I?” He inquired, raising an arm to wrap it around her shoulder and bring her closer. He wasn’t certain if she would agree or let herself freeze to death because she was mad at him.

Regina studied him for a long moment, always wondering what his true intentions were, why he even cared so much. In the months since their return to the Enchanted Forest, the Thief seemed to be everywhere she went, and she allowed him to see much more of her true self than she had let anyone else in a very long time. He had reciprocated of course, trusting her with both his painful memories and, most importantly, his son, never once given her a reason to doubt his sincerity, and yet years spent alone and isolated were hard to leave behind.

Still, he never relented, she had to give him that, and though she had been pissed that she would be treated any differently than the other members of their group, his explanation had the kind of chivalrous reasoning that both irritated her intensely, and also fondly reminded her of her son.

Another vicious draft made the decision for her, and she let him envelop her with his arm, press her against his side, her head and a hand on his chest, and tuck the blanket beneath her. She had spent the past few hours silently cursing her sister for her inability to use magic, but she had to admit, though not out loud, that this was a much more agreeable way to stay warm, as the heat slowly returned to her wary limbs, the tip of her fingers on his chest tingling as she was able to feel them again.

They stayed silent, breathing in sync, his heartbeat steady under her ear, the logs crackling in the campfire, the occasional hooting of owls nearby, the wind blowing in the leaves, the snores of sleeping men and the murmurs of those still awake, it all had the potential of lulling her to sleep, but for some reason her mind wouldn’t shut down.

“What are you thinking about?” His couldn’t either it appeared.

She turned her head slightly, looking at the dark sky and shining stars above. “I was trying to remember the last time I did something like this, sleeping outside,” she said. “It was with Henry, he was fascinated with the stars as a child, he wanted to reach them one day. He told me he would bring me the Moon one day, literally, he even had a plan and everything, I think he heard it in a cartoon,” she chuckled softly, and she saw Robin’s grin from the corner of her eye. “I found a star chart, and we would spend whole evenings trying to match the map with the sky, he loved it. It’s something I used to do with my father when I was a girl. I had no idea that the sky here and the one in Storybrooke were so different.”

“Roland loves it as well. I found him more than once with his head outside his tent so he could watch the sky,” Robin revealed, shaking his head at his son’s antics.

“I hadn’t realised that. It must be quite difficult for him at the Castle, even with the high windows, it’s not the same,” Regina wondered, and though she couldn’t see him, Robin smiled down at her in awe of the gentleness and care she always showed towards his son.

“He knows it is the safest place for us, he understands,” Robin affirmed.

“Still, I might have an idea that he could appreciate,” she insisted.

“Far be it from me to argue with the Queen,” he assented, squeezing her arm.

“That would be a first,” Regina taunted, raising herself up to look at him, arching a single eyebrow.

“I have to keep you on your toes somehow. Wouldn’t want you to think that I am a boring Thief,” he countered, grinning from ear to ear, his dimples creasing his cheeks.

“I’ll tell you if that ever happens,” she rested back against him, her eyelids heavy, sleep finally pulling at her.

He chortled. “Please do. Rest my Queen, we need to get back to Roland in one piece if you want to surprise him.”

He waited until her breath had evened out before pressing his lips to her brow, falling into an easy sleep.

The night sky and its stars gave way to the sun, its rays found them just as they had curled up a few hours prior, rested and ready to face whatever Zelena had in store for them.

It was a couple of days later when they returned to the Dark Palace, a clearer idea of the extent of Zelena’s army, a few less monkeys in it.

Robin was looking for Roland to put him to bed, and as usual found him in the company of the Queen. They were sitting on her balcony, an enchanted star chart opened in front of them, thick afghans around them, his son giggling excitedly as he pointed to a star or a constellation in the sky, and the miniature version was enlarged above the chart.

He quietly joined them, giving Regina an approving nod when she turned her head towards him. Roland wouldn’t be able to stop talking about this for days, but his son’s laugh was the only thing he cared about in this moment.


End file.
